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Do you ever find yourself working as hard as you possibly can at work, but still not getting everything done? Now you’re practically running on empty and not even feeling accomplished. Well, what if you developed the mentality of working smarter instead of harder, drawing on a balance of thoughtfulness, preparedness, and diligence. Working smarter rather than harder includes understanding the tasks at hand, carefully planning your work, collaborating with others, and maintaining a consistent pace. So if you’re interested in making your work a little bit easier, consider some of these tips to working smarter instead of harder.

﻿﻿Understand the task at hand. Being familiar with the task at hand, as well as the end goal, is essential for approaching your work with the right mentality and physical preparation. Before beginning any project, it is important to lay your work out in front of you so that you know the workload you’re facing. Begin by reviewing your project goals and the tasks needed to achieve these goals. By doing this, you are able to better understand what needs to be done and in what order, and you can strategize the best approach to reach your end-goal.

Prioritize your tasks. Create a list of all of your major tasks and label them each with a priority level. This should be a tangible list, not just a mental list. Consider taking this list a step further by creating a task list for each of your major tasks so that nothing gets forgotten or pushed aside. For example, if one of your major tasks is to write a report, you may want to include detailed steps such as: gather information, prepare a draft, write first copy, proofread and edit, write second copy, submit for final review.

Set a timeline and work at a steady pace. If there are certain tasks that need to be completed by specific dates or times, be sure to mark this on your list. Aside from these time-sensitive tasks, it is a good idea to set milestones for the rest of your tasks so that it is easier for you to stay on track and not work too slowly or too quickly. While working too slowly may prevent you from finishing your project on time, working too quickly can cause you and your team to burn out before the project is even complete. Try working in 90 to 120-minute bursts, taking a break to recharge, and then starting your work again. Trust your prioritized task list and stay true to it with a steady pace, and you should have no problem meeting your deadlines.

Delegate some tasks if possible. This is when your ego needs to be checked at the door. Realizing that your coworkers are perfectly capable of completing tasks just like you are is essential to making your workload much easier and more efficient. Recognize that some of your colleagues have probably even done some of their own work that may save you and your team some time that would have otherwise been spent doing that same work over again. Knowing when to step aside and accept someone else’s work is crucial in effective teamwork and collaboration.

Hopefully these steps will help you to approach your next project with a new mindset and a positive and proactive attitude so that you can work smarter, not harder! Do you have any other tips for working smarter rather than harder? We’d love to hear them!

Did you know that these tips can easily be applied to your Room To Escape experience? Don't believe us? Come try it out for yourself and let us know what you think!